Combined cornstalk cutter and dropper.



No. 668,5l5. A Panama Feb. I9, leol.

w. n. susana N. Henman ACOMBINED CORNSTALK CUTTER ANDDRUPPEB.

(Appumio .mea Nv. 15, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheetsl-Shaet l.

3 www@ v mtoznego Winsum:

Nm 668,5l5; Patented Fab. 19, 19m.

- w. maaien a N. Hemus.

COMBINED CORNSTALK QUTTER AND DROPPER.

` (Application filed Nov. l5, 1909.) (No Model.) 3 8heets-$heet 2.

ma Nonms PETERS cov, Pham-urna., wAsNxNGToN, D, c.

no. 668,513 Patented Feb. |9,'l9o|. w. H. GREEN & N. Hamam.

COMBINED CORNSTALK CUTTER AN'D DROPPER.

(Application led Nov. 1,5, 1900.1

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Nadal.)

TH: alims PETERS co. Fuero-uma., 'wAsHiNsTom u.'c.

WILLIAM H. GREEN AND NICHOLAS HERRIG, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

COMBINED CORNSTALK CUTTER AND DROPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 668,515, datedFebruary 19, 1901.

Application tiled November 15, 1900. ,Serial No. 36,623. lNo model.)

T0 all whom, it Ina/y con/cern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. GREEN and NICHOLAS HERRIG, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworthand State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Inlprovementsin a Combined Oornstalk Outter and Dropper; and we do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The invention relates to a combined cornstalk cutter and dropper.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich shall be simple of construction, durable in use, comparativelyinexpensive of production, and eX- tremely eflcient in action.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists in certainfeatures of construction and combination of parts, which will behereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View lookingfrom the front at the left-hand side of the machine toward the rear andshowing the dropper in its normal position or the position it occupieswhen receiving the cut stalks. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional View on the line m x, Fig. 2, showing theposition the dropper assumes when it is desired t0 discharge the stalkstherefrom and showing in dotted lines the position those stalks assumethat have been ,severed during the dumping action of the dropper; andFig. 4

isa fragmentary View illustrating the brakeV and its manner ofapplication to the drivebelt, the latter being shown clamped to an idlepulley by the brake.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes the frame of the machine, which maybe of any well-known or approved construction and is mounted uponwheels2 and 3, the former set of which is connected to the forward endof the machine by a bowed spring 4.

denotes a stationary cutter which is secured to the forward end of themachineframe and is arranged in the usual manner so as to have a drawingcut.

6 denotes a beater journaled to the frame of the machine at one side.This beater consists of a head 7, rotatably mounted upon a shaft 8 andprovided with beater-arms 9 and a pulley 10, which is geared to one ofthe wheels 2 by a belt 3C As the stalks are cut by the knife thebeater-arms strike them and force them rearwardly.

11 denotes a dropper which is hinged to a bail 12 at one side of itscenter of gravity, and said bail has its arms hinged to the floor of theframe, as shown.

13 denotes a rest which projects upwardly from the rear end of the frameand supports the dropper.

14 denotes afoot-lever arranged adjacent to the drivers seat 15 andwithin convenient reach of the driver, and 16 denotes a link counectingsaid lever to one arm of the bail.

17 and 18 denote guard-rails for guiding the stalks to the dropper, andthese rails may be of any well-known or approved construction.

19 denotes what we would term a catcher,

' and consists, preferably, of a curved plate which may be formed of thesame material .as the dropper and is arranged at the lower end thereofand is preferably curved.

20 denotes a stop-finger or hook connected to one of the lower cornersof the dropper and adapted to engage one of the side members of the bailand limit the movement of the dropper when swung into the position shownin Fig. 1.

21 denotes a brake-lever having a handle 22 within convenient reach ofthe driver and provided with a brake 23 at its other end, which isadapted to engage the drive-belt and clamp it against an idle pulley 24,thus controlling the rotation of the beater.

In operation, assuming the machine to be drawn along and the parts to bein the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, as the cornstalks areout they will be struck by the beater-arms and knocked rearwardly ontothe inclined dropper. After the desired amount of stalks has beendeposited upon the dropper the driver forces the foot-lever 14 rearwardand tilts said dropper to the position shown in Fig. 3, thus allowingthe cut stalks to fall oft onto the ground. As the cut stalks are beingdischarged other stalks are being cut by the knife and knockedrearwardly by the beater-arms, and to catch these stalks and IOO holdthem in an upright position until the dropper has been returned to itsnormal position we provide the catcher, against which the stalks falland are supported, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. After the stalkshave been discharged from the dropper the footlever is pressed forwardto return the dropper to its normal position. In swinging the dropperforwardly suddenly the tendency would be for its lower end to swingbetween the sides of the bail, and to overcome this we provide thestop-finger or hook above referred to, which checks or limits theforward movement of the dropper. As the dropper is swungr forwardly inits normal position those stalks which have been held in verticalposition by the catcher are shifted onto the dropper and there remainuntil the dropper has received the desired load, when the operation ofdischarging is again repeated. By mounting the dropper on the bail atone side of the center of gravity it will remain either in the positionshown in Fig. l or in that shown in Fig. 3 without any pressure of thefoot. In the position shown in Fig. l the heavier end of the dropper isbelow its pivotal point, thus holding it in that position, and when inthe position shown in Fig. 3 it will remain in that position, owing tothe fact that the dropper slides downwardly upon its rest, thus bringingthe heavier end of the dropper below its contact with the rest.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages ofour invention will be readily understood without requiring an extendedexplanation. The device is exceedingly useful for the purpose for whichit is designed and may be placed upon the market at a comparativelysmall cost.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages ol' this invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of a wheel supported frame, a knife carried by saidframe to sever the stalks, a beater to force the severed stalksrearwardly, a bail hinged to the frame, a rest attached to the framebetween the side arms of the bail, a dropper hinged to the bight of thebail and provided at its lower end with a curved catcher, and means foroperating said dropper, substantially as set fort-h.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto sct our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. GREEN. NICHOLAS l-IERRIG. fitnessesz HAROLD C. SHORT, M. J.AARON.

